I’d Throw Myself on a Bee for You
by Preppy Princess 5103
Summary: Mulder finds something intriguing in a Hallmark store.


**I'd Throw Myself on a Bee for You**

**Classification**: MSR

**Rating**: PG/PG-13

**Spoilers**: This takes place early in season 7.

**Disclaimer**: Chris and company own them.

**Summary**: Mulder finds something intriguing in a Hallmark store.

**Feedback**: ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS appreciated!

**Authors Notes**: This is a ridiculous little something I came up with based on a Hallmark card I saw the other day. It's been annoying me; wanting to be written ever since.

He hated shopping. With a passion. He supposed he didn't hate it more than any other normal, red blooded American male, but he still hated it. Especially shopping for a birthday card for his mother. Hallmark didn't exactly make a card that was appropriate for their relationship.

_I'm sorry I'm such a grave disappointment and let my little sister get abducted by aliens_… Nope. That wasn't a card he'd find in the overly cheerful card shop. He sighed and continued to wander the aisles aimlessly. He had struck out in the "Mother" section. The cards were just too damned sentimental. Whoever designed those cards must think that everyone had a perfect relationship with their mothers. He wound up in the Shoebox section, a collection of humorous birthday cards. But he didn't think his buttoned up mother would appreciate the gesture. The generic "Happy Birthday" cards were even a let down. Most of them waxed poetic about how lucky the giver was to have the recipient in their life.

"Sir, can I help you find anything?"

He turned at the sound of a feminine voice, shook his head and sighed. "No thank you. I'm just looking for a birthday card for my mother."

"Well, the mother cards are down at the end of this aisle." She pointed to the section that had frustrated him earlier.

"I've already looked there." He looked at the cards in front of him and then back at the sales associate. "Truth of the matter is my mother and I don't have a good relationship. We haven't been close since I was a child. I'm just looking for something very simple."

The girl nodded, seemingly understanding. "I understand completely. I had the same relationship with my father. We do have a section of blank cards, if you think that would be more appropriate. You could just pick a pretty card and write your own simple message."

He glanced at the flowery, scripted cards and sighed. "I think that might be for the best."

She smiled and led him to a card section on another aisle. "Here you go. Let me know if I can help with anything else." She walked away before he could thank her and he began studying the cards. Remembering his mother had an affinity for tulips; he picked up a simple card with two tulips on the front, grabbed an envelope and started to head for the cash register.

He had made it to the last section of cards when he stopped dead in his tracks. The cards he was in front of were cute, whimsical even. But one in particular stood out. It was a light blue card with a drawing of a bee on the front of it. The text about the picture read, "_I'd throw myself on a bee for you_". He timidly picked it up, trying to decide whether or not it was appropriate. No one could deny that their relationship had changed since her return from Africa and his mysterious illness, but he didn't know if this would be pushing things to far. They were spending more time together socially. Last week he had even splurged on a dinner for the two of them at a new Greek place in the city. But giving her a card that said… well, that said anything about feelings would be a massive change from what he normally did. He wasn't as much of a clod as she thought. Even though he didn't always acknowledge her birthday, he did always remember it. And the cards never expressed his true feelings. They were always the most generic cards he could find. But this… as simple as it was, it said something as to how he felt. And finally taking the next step, making a declaration, well, it was huge for him.

Before he could talk himself out of it, he grabbed an envelope to go with the card and made his way to the cash register.

* * *

She unlocked the door to their office and flipped a light switch. She was more than a little surprised that she was there before he was, but he had been acting strange all weekend. He had come over for dinner on Saturday night and had been so distracted she had barely been able to coerce more than a few brief sentences out of him. She shook her head and sat her briefcase in her chair. She should be used to his little moods and quirks by now, but just when she thought they were getting even closer, he started behaving oddly. All day Sunday she had pondered his behavior before deciding that he would tell her what was on his mind when he was ready.

She went to grab her coffee cup, but a simple white envelope on the desk caught her attention. Her name was scrawled across the front in his familiar script. She sat the cup back on the desk and timidly picked up the envelope. She flipped it over, inserting her finger beneath the gold seal on the back and the thick white paper. Pulling out the card, she couldn't help but smile. The adorable bee was nothing like the creatures that now terrified her. However, once she noticed the words her breath caught in her throat.

_I'd throw myself on a bee for you._

She opened the card and began to read his personal message.

_I worried about giving you this. I worried that I would wind up saying too much and pushing you away, I worried that you might think I was making light of what happened a few years ago. I worry a lot when it comes to you. But I saw this and it stopped me in my tracks, because it's the truth. I'd do anything to protect you. To keep you safe and happy. _

_I can't thank you enough for everything you did when I was sick. You saved me for the... well, I've lost track of how many times you've saved me._

_I just wanted to tell you how much you meant to me, since I don't tell you nearly enough. And every time I have told you, it's been the result of a huge, life altering catastrophe. Just once, I wanted to tell you how I feel just because._

_M. _

She closed the card and carefully put it back in the envelope. She could feel the difference in their relationship over the last few months- hell, more than the last few months. But having him acknowledge it made the changes more substantial.

There was no going back now.

End.

Thanks for reading!

I hope you enjoyed this little bit of randomness.


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